Paul Scholes has issued an apology after being fined £8,000 for breaking FA gambling rules.
The former Manchester United and England star placed 140 bets on football matches between August 2015 and January 2019 while a co-owner at Salford City.
In a statement today Scholes apologised saying he had made a 'genuine mistake'.
He said: “I accept last week’s ruling.
"I would like to apologise and I understand and fully accept the fine imposed by the FA.
"It was a genuine mistake and was not done with any deliberate intention to flout the rules.
“I wrongly believed that as long as there was no personal connection between me and any of the matches that I bet upon then there would be no issue.
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"However I understand now that this is not the case and I should have taken steps to verify this at the time.”
Scholes placed the bets with the bookmakers Paddy Power and Bet365.
None of the bets involved Salford City games.
In its ruling, the FA said eight bets involved Manchester United games at a time when Scholes' pals and former team-mates Ryan Giggs and Nicky Butt were working at the club.
One bet was also placed on Valencia at the time Gary and Phil Neville were coaching at the Spanish club.
But the FA said there was no evidence Scholes had any 'connection' to the clubs in question which would 'aggravate matters'.
In January 2019 Scholes also placed two bets on Oldham Athletic matches. Some time after that he began talks with the club ahead of his short-lived spell as manager at Boundary Park.
But, again, the FA said there was no suggestion Scholes had a connection with the club at that time.
In total Scholes, now a well-respected TV[pundit, placed bets totalling £26,159 and made a £5,831 profit.
The FA ruled Scholes placed the bets to 'enhance his enjoyment and interest in the matches and did not deploy any special knowledge'.
A statement on the FA website read: "An Independent Regulatory Commission has fined Paul Scholes £8,000 and warned him as to his future conduct after he admitted an FA misconduct charge in relation to betting.
"It was alleged that the former midfielder placed 140 bets on football matches between August 17, 2015 and January 12, 2019."
